What I Do For You
by Stormcloudishone
Summary: A series of Nellis one-shots revolving around the lives of our two favorite zombie-killing machines both pre-, during-, and post-apocalypse; suggestions and comments are welcome!
1. Welcome To

_(I have been struck by this sudden plot bunny from seemingly nowhere, and I just had to act on it before I lost it forever. This is my first Nellis fic, but I love the game and the pairing, so I hope everyone enjoys! This is just a drabble of sorts, and I'll be posting more random one-shots here as they come to me, but this is what I have to start. ^^ Enjoy, my lovely readers.)_

"I cain't believe you," muttered Ellis, peering through his windshield at the crowded parking lot. His companion in the seat beside him seemed unbothered by his comment, casually examining his nails for dirt.

"What can I say? A man needs to look his best, even when he's just going for groceries." He smirked, but the younger man wasn't paying him too much attention as he maneuvered them through yet another full row of parked cars, searching for a reasonable spot to pull his battered pick-up into.

"But a full suit? Nick, yer gonna stand out like a sore thumb out here." Nick shrugged. What did he care what a bunch of hicks thought of him? As long as one hick in particular was still there to warm his bed every night, he was content.

He leaned closer, murmuring in his partner's ear, "Hey, you like it, don't you Overalls?"

Ellis inched away from him but couldn't mask a faint shiver. "Stoppit, Nick, you're gonna make me hit somebody's – Hot damn!" Distracted, Ellis swung them suddenly into an available spot twenty feet from the entrance. Nick muttered an unflattering expletive about certain female anatomy as he was jostled roughly in his seat.

"Shit! Ellis, be more careful, would you?"

The hick was already unbuckled, truck shut off, climbing out onto the pavement, his excitement returning full force as he waited for Nick to join him, practically bouncing in place. It wasn't much of a stretch to imagine perked ears and a frantically-wagging tail. "C'mon, Nick! C'mon!"

A year ago, Nick would have laughed at anyone that told him he would survive a zombie apocalypse, spend six months quarantined by CEDA, finally be released into a cleansed nation and somehow not only have a boyfriend, but that said boyfriend would be bound and determined to return to Savannah as soon as it was rebuilt and make a life there, and that Nick would somehow be convinced to join him there in the very epicenter of hick-dome. Oh, and they were living together. So it was kind of a monogamous thing.

"Slow down, Ellis," he said, chuckling. "What, is there a sale on horse meat today?" Ellis pouted, but his good mood recovered almost instantly as Nick did as he was asked and quickly climbed out of the truck. Mentally, he could hear the crack of a whip in his head, and it almost made him wince. But then he heard Ellis' exuberant chattering, tugging his hand from his pocket so they could entwine their fingers as they walked toward the entrance to the shopping center. Until Savannah was finished, they had been relocated to a smaller town that hadn't taken nearly as much damage, nearly three hours away from the famous Southern city.

Nick was still adjusting to the small town lifestyle. It wasn't as bright or exciting as living in Sin City, but the marks were a lot easier and the snail-pace at which things seemed to move was fairly relaxing after surviving a fucking apocalypse. Plus, it made Ellis happy, and so long as he could still get the things he wanted and needed (cigarettes, suits, sex, and alcohol) he was all right with the sacrifice for his partner's sake. Usually he was happy enough to stay at home and let Ellis take care of the errands since he was so comfortable in this sort of environment, but today Nick had been dragged along as well; their first grocery trip as a couple, in a nonapocalypse setting. Joy.

"Good mornin', gentlemen!"

A warm, welcoming voice hailed them before they could make it through the front doors. Ellis stopped, which meant that Nick was forced to stop too or risk losing his grip on Ellis' hand. "G'mornin', sir!" said Ellis happily. Nick gave a grunt and nodded his head. The man gestured them closer, heaving himself up from the folding chair he had been sitting on. Ellis trotted over obediently, dragging along a displeased Northern lover.

"And how're you fine folks this mornin'?" drawled the older man, placing both hands, fingers splayed out, on the tiny, crowded table between them. If he noticed the clasped hands or linked fingers, he pretended not to. Glaring out at them in stark red font was a sign taped to a red plastic bucket, which read:

**Donate to the needy!  
>Every dollar goes to pay for meals for hungry families!<br>Donations of all sizes welcome!**

Underneath it in smaller font were more details about the exact organization and contact information that Nick could care less about.

"We're doin' right fine, sir," said Ellis with a smile. "Jus' comin' t'do some grocery shoppin', right Nick?"

The older man glanced towards the parking lot, rolling his eyes, and said, "That's right." It was easier to just humor Ellis sometimes than it was to put up any kind of fuss.

The broad black man smiled, and Nick was eerily reminded of Coach for a moment. "Good, good," he said pleasantly. "The name's Marcus. Now how'd you folks like t'donate a li'l somethin' t'the needy this fine mornin'? You'd be m'first for the day."

Nick knew even before Ellis tugged on his hand, even before he glanced over at the other man, that he would be staring up at him hopefully, his sweet little Southern-grown heart bleeding all over the place for these 'needy families' that he had never and would never meet in his entire life. Nick sighed heavily and fished his wallet out of his back pocket.

"Yeah, sure," he said, riffling quickly through the bills tucked inside the expensive black leather. He tensed suddenly as he felt more than saw the charity worker leaning slightly closer to him across the table.

"Would y'be up t'donatin' that $20 there, by the grace of Jesus?" simpered Marcus, his expression still as wide-eyed and innocent as ever.

Nick stared at him incredulously. He glanced to the bucket sign again, which indeed read 'Donations of all sizes welcome!' His fingers tightened on the couple of one dollar bills he'd found at the front of his wallet. Ellis' eyes were burning holes into the side of his head.

"Or that there $10, it'd feed up t'four families; it'd be the first $10 in m'bucket this mornin'." The black man smiled at them winningly, white teeth flashing as he waited for the money to fall into his bucket like manna from heaven.

Nick pointedly selected the only five dollar bill in the wallet and dropped it in the bucket. "I think that will do it for today," he said quickly, and dragged Ellis inside with him by the hand before Marcus could ask about that $100 stowed discreetly at the very back of the bill fold.

"Jeez, Nick, what's the matter with you?" asked Ellis as Nick coasted past the brightly-smiling greeter and snatched a buggy for them to stow their purchases in.

The conman rolled his eyes and finally turned to look at Ellis. "I just got conned!" he snapped. Ellis blinked at him.

"Nick, man, what're you talkin' about?"

Nick waved one arm at the automatic doors which were now shut behind them. "That charity bastard!"

Elis hushed him immediately, quickly gesturing for him to lower his voice with both hands. "Quiet, Nick, there're kids here!"

Nick lowered his voice, but his anger didn't abate in the slightest. "He had us pinned as soon as we walked up there. And he conned me right out of double what I was planning to give him." Ellis watched, bemused, as the anger slowly shifted into something rather unreadable. Suddenly, Nick startled his younger lover by laughing, albeit just a little bitterly.

"Damned hick could be conning marks as well as I ever did back in Vegas," he muttered. With a final irritated – and grudgingly respectful – glance at the double doors, Nick nudged Ellis with the cart to get him moving. "Now, what did you drag me up here for again?"

_(Hahaha, random one shot is random. This seriously happened to me today! It was unreal. The dialogue which I wrote for 'Marcus' is exactly what I had to endure this morning. And thus, my first Nellis attempt. Please review! :D )_


	2. A Witch Startles Nick!

_(This… I don't even. XD I was thinking about a campaign I did the other night, and it just sort of… came to me. I hope you enjoy, lovely readers. I lol'd the entire time I was writing it. And yes, I stole an Ellis story. Don't sue me, please. ^^ Oh, language. That's what this is rated for. Yup.)_

They really should have known better than to stop. The rain was coming down harder and harder with each passing minute, and it wasn't going to make the rest of their journey any easier to waste their time when they should have called the elevator and already been on their way. But that last Hunter had done a number on Coach, and after clearing out the few common infected wandering around, it had seemed like a safe enough spot to recuperate briefly.

While Rochelle broke out the Med kit and set to work bandaging Coach's wounds, Ellis poked around to see if there were any supplies to be found, keeping an eye on the stairs in case any of the infected they had missed tried to follow them. Nick just slid down the wall and leaned his head back, taking advantage of the break to rest for a few minutes.

"Hey, pipe bombs!" crowed Ellis, scooping them up and shoving one into his pocket, bringing the other back to the group. Nick still had a Molotov, but Rochelle or Coach would be able to carry the other explosive. Considering the steadily-increasing rain, they were probably going to need it. Ellis leaned out slightly and studied the field of sugarcane, whistling softly.

"I ain't never been in no sugarcane field before. I mean I seen them and all, but no real reason t'go int' one. But now if y'go int'a peach grove y'find all sorts'a of cool shit." The faint sobs of a witch from the thick-growing vegetation below sent a faint shudder through the group. "But I don' think there's anythin' _cool_ down there…"

Rochelle muttered an agreement while Coach grumbled about the tightly-wound bandages. The usual sarcastic response from Nick was noticeably absent, and Ellis glanced at him worriedly. The faint, soft snore that rose up from the conman's parted lips made him grin. "Maybe Nick should nap when we stop more often," said Rochelle with a faint smirk. "He's much more tolerable like this."

Coach grunted, a faint smile twitching at his lips despite the pain. "Yeah, _silent_."

Ellis had to admit that Nick could try on anyone's nerves, even his. But he kind of liked the man now, enjoyed the sarcastic spin he could put on almost any situation. "C'mon, guys, he ain't _that_ bad," defended Ellis half-heartedly. The sudden sob of a Witch kept Rochelle from making a snappy comeback about just how _bad_ Nick actually was. This one sounded _much_ closer than the other one that they had heard in the field.

"Did that bitch follow us up the stairs?" hissed Coach, struggling to his feet, grabbing his shotgun. Rochelle looked slightly ill as a second set of wails joined the first, alerting them to the impending danger. Suddenly their little safe haven didn't seem so safe.

"Maybe they'll turn around an' go back if we're really quiet," whispered Ellis, clutching his rifle tightly, watching the stairs for any sign of the approaching infected. Another soft snore from Nick made the other three Survivors jump.

"Wake that boy up," snapped Coach, his voice low.

"Okay." Ellis, obedient as always, turned to take care of waking up Nick and froze. "Ho-lee shit," he murmured. Coach and Rochelle immediately risked a glance away from the stairs to see what had frightened the mechanic.

One of the Witches was staggering toward the conman, her clawed hands hiding her face as she cried. "C'mon, turn around," breathed Ellis, watching in disbelief and fear as she drew closer and closer, her red eyes flashing as her cries began to lessen, her hands dropping from her face to curve into the wicked claws they had all come to fear.

The trio watched in horror, frozen, as the emaciated zombie took another step closer, and another, her soft sobs becoming low growls. Ellis carefully lifted his rifle, taking aim with a quick mental prayer that he was capable of crowning the resilient zombie. If it took more than a single shot, Nick's life could be in the balance.

Just as Ellis moved his finger to the trigger, keeping his actions slow and quiet so he didn't draw any unnecessary attention, the Witch ran right into Nick's outstretched legs. She let out a shriek, startling the conman she had bumped into.

Without any conscious thought, Nick hefted the axe that had been resting in his lap and cleaved the Witch's head in two.

Three pairs of eyes widened as blood spewed and the Witch toppled backward and collapsed without more than a frustrated gurgle. Nick blinked, his eyes still mostly closed. He rubbed them with the back of his clean hand and muttered, "Damn Witch sounds just like my ex-wife."

Ellis leaned close to Coach after a moment and whispered, "I ain't never gonna be the one t'wake him up from a nap ever again."

Nick pushed off the wall and got to his feet, brushing off the front of his suit, and then the back briefly. He gave the Witch at his feet a passing glance, and then looked at the rest of the group with a raised eyebrow. "Are we going anytime soon?"

Ellis bounded forward like an overeager puppy, latching onto Nick as he jabbered away at a mile a minute about how _cool_ that had been, waking up and killing a Witch without flinching! Nick endured the chatter patiently, one hand in his pocket, the gory axe hanging at his side. He shot Rochelle a look and a nod, and she leaned forward to push the call button for the elevator.

"Well," she said with a smirk, cutting off Ellis' high praises for the irritable conman, "I guess we know who to leave the Witches to from now on." Nick flipped her off as the first rumble of the horde joined the slow groans of the rising elevator.

_({A Witch startled Nick!} I could just see it in my head so vividly, I had to write it. I hope it turned out all right. I hope you enjoy, lovely readers. Please leave a review! ^^)_


	3. In Memory Of

_(Lovely readers! It has been a long time, I know. I've been neglecting my Nellis because I haven't had very many plot bunnies of late. But guess what? Thanks to the discovery of my IRL Ellis, the plot bunnies have suddenly emerged and been multiplying rapidly. XD This sarcastic old soul has found an adorably derpy fireball to inspire all the Nellis, and it's been going rather well. So enjoy yet another one shot, my lovely readers! :D)_

"Hey!" Nick shot at an ambling common infected that threatened to wander too close to where he lay and then let his head rest wearily against the pavement for a moment. "I need some help over here!" he called, even though it seemed to be a futile effort at this point.

He was more than aware of the fact that all his shooting and yelling was only going to attract more of the infected before it got the attention of his fellow survivors, but it was better than bleeding out right here where he lay without at least trying to be rescued. To die quietly now would be too much like giving up.

"Give me some help, I'm over here!"

Coach, Rochelle… Ellis. How far ahead had they already gotten? How far would they go before they even realized he was missing? Would they even bother coming back for him or would be he assumed dead? An assumption that wouldn't be far wrong if he didn't get some help soon…

"Nick!"

The conman lifted his head at the sound of his own name. Despite himself, his heart lifted at the familiar dopey twang. "Ellis…" he murmured, almost in disbelief.

The incessant rambling had already begun, but for once, Nick didn't mind it so much. "Shit, man, I thought we'd lost you for sure! I was talkin' like you was right there behind me, then when ya didn't answer me back I thought you was mad or somethin', but when I turned around you weren't even there!"

Ellis jogged up in those steel-toed boots just chattering away without a care in the world and crouched to offer him a hand up, his smile wide and his eyes bright. "Good thing I noticed and came back for ya, man, ya look –"

The sudden screech was loud enough to freeze them both for just a moment. Fuck, that Hunter sounded incredibly close. Ellis turned in place just as Nick brought his Magnum up, prepared to empty the last of his bullets into the hooded bastard, wherever it was, when the screech came again, unbearably close this time, and Ellis suddenly slammed into him face fist, knocking the gun out of his hand to skitter a few feet away across the pavement.

Ellis let out a pained scream as the horrible claws dug into his back, ripping away flesh in great, jagged furrows. His fingers dug into Nick's jacket and he buried his face in the older man's neck, his whole body shaking with pain and the force of the infected's terrible assault on his unprotected back.

"Shit!" Nick stretched out his arm, even as his body screamed in its own agony for the excessive movement, desperately groping for his lost weapon. Any weapon would do, really. Anything with bullets in it for him to take down this fucking thing. Ellis continued to moan and whimper as the Hunter clawed at him, his body jerking weakly in an attempt to get away from his attacker.

"Son of a bitch," Nick growled, his arm finally falling limp, just out of reach of the Magnum. Where the hell were Coach and Rochelle? His absence might have been overlooked or dismissed, but Ellis'? Not likely.

"N-Nick," whimpered the younger man, still clutching desperately at his jacket, though his grip was much weaker now than it had been before. Miraculously, the Hunter seemed to grow bored with his conquest now that his back had been turned into so much raw meat, and he leapt off the pair with an irritated scream and bounded off into the darkening night. In its absence, there was only silence save for the short, shuddering breaths Ellis continued to take.

"N-Nick, I…"

"Shhh." Nick closed his eyes, cursing profusely in his head. But for once, he kept it in check. "I-It's all right, El. I've got you." His arm gave a disapproving throb as he lifted it and ran his ringed fingers gently through the soft hair. His hat lay nearby, knocked away by the brutal attack.

"N-Nick… Shit, man, m'not… not gonna m-make it…"

A quiet shudder tore through him at the thought. Not Ellis. Rather him, rather any of them, than Ellis. He was so full of life, had so much to live for… Sure, he could be annoying. Sure, he was more child than man sometimes. Sure, he told way too many Keith stories for anyone to bear, but he was still a better person than any of the rest of them, and for him to die now was more tragic in that moment, to Nick, than the apocalypse itself.

"Don't talk like that," he whispered. He continued to stroke his head, his voice quiet and just a little shaky. "You're going to be fine, all right? Coach and Rochelle are coming to find us right now, and we'll get you all patched up and get you to a safe room." The slight quaver in his voice made his stomach pitch violently. Shit, why couldn't he get his act together?

"Nick… ya r-remember that time… we talked 'bout where w-we were… gonna go after all this?" Ellis' breathing was growing softer, washing out warm and damp over his neck, but it was getting a little more shallow, a little less warm. A lump rose up in his throat.

"Y-yeah… I remember that. You wanted to move back to Savannah one day once it's all cleaned up. Go back to fixing people's cars and marry that Zoey girl and live the American dream. Quite a goal, Overalls." Nick squeezed his eyes shut. This was almost more painful than his injuries were. Why wasn't there anyone coming to rescue them?

"Y-yeah… I don' think I really… want that anymore." Ellis tried for a laugh, but it subsided into a pained groan. "I was thinkin'… 'bout the other d-day… on the boat with Virgil…" Nick's breath caught in his throat. "An' I realized… ya never t-told me yer plans…"

Nick had to struggle to remember how to speak for a moment. "Well…" He paused, swallowing hard, realizing tears were suddenly rushing to his eyes. He couldn't even remember the last time he had actually cried… "To be honest, I didn't really know. But now…" He realized his fingers had stopped running through his hair, tangling in the short strands as if he could keep him there just by holding on. "Now I do."

Nick tilted his head and brushed a kiss over Ellis' forehead. "I want whatever you want, fireball."

Ellis' body shook slightly, and he could feel a small smile against his throat. "That's… good. 'Cause I w-want you." There was a moment of silence while they both absorbed the truth finally spoken between them, tucked away and ignored ever since that moment of weakness on Virgil's boat where they had both finally acknowledged a need neither of them had wanted to admit to having.

"H-hey, Nick…"

"Yeah?"

"Can you f-find… my hat?"

Nick reached out to the side once more and felt his fingers brush the battered fabric, curling around it before it dragged it over and tried to place it gently on the other's head, where it belonged. "Here it is, kiddo."

"T-take good care… of it for me… Okay?"

Fuck, why couldn't he feel the breath on his skin anymore? Where was his hurried heartbeat against his chest? Maybe because his own was already so weak, his skin so cold.

"…I will, El."

Another shudder wracked the body sprawled across him, and when he exhaled again, another inhale never followed. Nick brought his arm up and covered his eyes with it, trembling as tears began to seep from the corners of his eyes. "God."

_In Memory Of:_

_Nick  
>Ellis<em>

_(What the hell is this? T_T I never write sad stuff like this! It was my Ellis, she requested it! God, now I need to go have a good cry. I hope you enjoyed this inexplicable angst, and I promise the next one will be fluffy and fun and not at all like this one! I swear, lovely readers!)_


	4. College AU

_(All right, we're going to try something here, lovely readers. Can you say AU? I bet you can. Well, thanks to my IRL Ellis, lots of college campus hijinks are going on. And it's boggling my mind trying to warp them all into stuff Nick and Ellis would do while keeping them in character, even if it's post apocalypse. And then I realized. College AU. So let me know what you think, lovely readers. If you approve, there will definitely be more to follow. ^^ Enjoy!)_

College was fucking expensive. Nick would be one of the first to admit to that, even though he had the money to afford it right out of pocket. Other people, normal people, just weren't that lucky, and they often had to struggle to make ends meet and scrape together the money to be able to go. Of course, there was little chance of getting a good job and then paying for schooling, because you needed the higher education to get the better jobs.

Housing, however, was the most ridiculous expense, according to Nick. Whether it was off campus or on site, it was just ridiculous. Of all things, somewhere to stay was something of a must, and for it to be so damned expensive was just stupid. Unfortunately, despite how much Nick tended to bitch and complain, nothing had been done yet to fix the problem, and so the prices remained the same.

Frustrated, Nick leaned his head out his window and laid a heavy hand on the horn. "Come on, asshat, I don't have all day! Let's go!" Scowling, he edged just a little closer to the Jeep he was following, continuing to hassle and harass the unfortunate driver until they turned onto a different row and got out of his way.

Parking. Yet another thing that absolutely sucked about this place.

After wasting twenty minutes heckling other drivers and searching for a spot, Nick finally gave in and drove down the street to the parking deck. He really preferred to be in the parking lot, for a number of reasons. It was closer to the actual campus, and it was easier to escape after a con went awry if his car wasn't down the fucking street and up three flights of stairs. But it was either this or he would get a ticket for parking anywhere that wasn't specifically marked for overnight parking. And at 35, after dealing with his fair share of shady deals and nosy cops and selfish partners in crime, Nick would readily admit that a sucky parking spot was better than drawing attention to himself, however slight, now that he was trying to go straight.

Well, straighter.

Hence his returning to college for an education. So he could actually get a job that wouldn't require him to carry a gun at all times and check over his shoulder every other minute for a cop or an enemy with an even bigger gun.

Nick swung quickly into an available spot alongside a battered red Dodge and shut his car off, grabbing his bag before stepping out into the night and shutting his door behind him, brushing off his flawless white suit before he locked the doors behind him and shoved the key into the breast pocket of his blue dress shirt. He now had a bitch of a walk between his car and his on-campus apartment, or at the very least the bus stop, which made his scowl only grow more pronounced at the very idea of public transportation.

Regardless, he managed the trip just fine, and was quick to return and move his car back to the other parking lot just as soon as he was able. The red truck was still there.

Over the next few weeks, Nick was forced to park down the street every time a poker game ran late or a party got out of hand. Whether he was alone or in the company of an eager party slut, he had begun to notice that the red truck was always in the exact same spot, as though it never moved. And he never saw anyone go near it, let alone entering it or leaving it, or driving it anywhere. It was like it had been abandoned.

At least, that's what he thought.

On one lonely, late night in particular, Nick drove down the street to park with his usual bitching and pulled into the spot beside the red truck, making sure he had everything he needed before he locked it up tight and prepared to head home for the evening. This time, however, he paused.

An odd sound from the vehicle next to him had caught his attention. He glanced around, but curiosity got the better of him and he peeked into the passenger side window of the old red truck. A man was sprawled out across the seats, snoring fitfully. A blue and white hat was jammed onto his head, hiding most of his face along with his hair. A yellow t-shirt with an odd picture on the front stretched tight over toned abs, the sleeves of a pair of dirty blue coveralls were tied off at the waist, and the picture was finished by the pair of steel-toed boots propped up on the driver's side door.

Nick rapped loudly on the passenger side door and startled the man from his sleep, sending him jolting upright. "Hey, man, what the hell?" he snapped, twisting to fix the older man with an irritated, blue-eyed stare. From the thick accent, it was obvious he was more local than Nick was. Not that he gave a good goddamn either way.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" he asked. "Even a hick like you must have more sense than to sleep out in your truck, with the windows down of all things."

The younger man snorted. "Man, shit, people got better things t'do than mess with a guy like me. 'Cept you, apparently." Nick just rolled his eyes. "'Sides, what's it t'you, anyway?"

"Nothing, except now I'm parked next to you, and I'd rather not leave my car here when there's a possibility that you're absolutely insane considering you're living in your truck. Why don't you do us both a favor and just go home? No morning class is worth sleeping in the parking lot." And it would make him feel better if the other man didn't intend to spend the night right there next to his car. He was rather attached to it.

The younger man squirmed a bit, searching for words awkwardly while Nick arched a brow at him. "…You do have somewhere to go, right?" Dammit, that would explain why it never seemed to leave the lot. Just what he needed to finish off this night, too. A fucking charity case.

The other man's cheeks darkened in an embarrassed flush. "Well, hell, housin' is just so damn expensive an' all…

Nick's brows knitted together in disbelief as he stared at the other, momentarily at a loss for words. "You're joking, right? So you just live out of this shitty truck?"

The man seemed to take immediate and deeply personal offense the remark. "Hey now, my truck ain't shitty! Sure, she's old, but she does good for her age!"

Nick decided it would be best not to question the gender of the beat-up Dodge. It just wasn't worth it. "Whatever. Just get up." When the younger man only blinked at him in surprise, he snorted. "I know you're not deaf, kiddo. Get out of the truck."

"My name's not kiddo. It's Ellis. Some folks call me El, but I prefer t'be called Ellis as it's the name my Mama gave me an' –"

Nick cut him off with a shark-like grin. "Well, Ellis, pack your shit. You're coming with me." Of all the things Nick had learned, one thing in particular stood out above all others.

Never turn down the chance to have someone owe you a favor.

_(Okay, so what did you guys think? Be honest, lovely readers! Leave me a review! I hope you enjoyed and are eager for more! :D)_


	5. Phone Calls

_(All right, this is another experimental chapter, lovely readers. Telling a story completely through dialogue, specifically a series of phone calls. I don't think my Ellis even knows about this one, but she inspired it all the same. XD Accidentally, of course, but still. So I hope everyone enjoys, it's a little bit angsty again, but not quite so much. I'm actually afraid it's a little too vague. You'll see what I mean. Happy reading!)_

"Hello?"

"Hey, Nick."

"Hey, kiddo. What's up?"

"Not much, just gettin' off work t'go get some lunch, thought I'd call. Jus' wanted t'hear yer voice, y'know."

"…Is something wrong?"

"No, nothin's wrong. Just missin' ya, I guess."

"Hahaha, I just left, kiddo. And you know I'll be home by Sunday night."

"Yeah, I know. I can still miss ya, though, can't I?"

"…Are you sure you're okay? I could be home sooner if you need me."

"No, you need t'stay over there an' do what ya need t'do. I'm jus' bein' silly."

"Well, if you're sure, sport."

"…Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"…Yeah. You too, sport."

"…Yeah. Okay."

"Listen, I'll call you later, all right?"

"Yeah… That's fine."

"Later, kid."

_Click._

_(End Call)_

"_Hey, this is Nick's phone. You know the drill."_

"H-hey, it's Ellis. I guess yer still busy. I know ya said you'd call, but it's been hours an' it's getting' late. I'm jus' worried, I guess. Ya always did say I worry too much. Call me back, Nick. Please. I… I love ya, man."

(_End Call)_

"_Hey, this is Nick's phone. You know the drill."_

"Nick, it's almost noon an' ya still ain't called me back from last night. You okay, darlin'? Yer worryin' me, seriously. When're ya comin' back tomorrow? Lemme know, okay? I wanna see ya. I… I guess that's it. Love ya. Bye."

_(End Call)_

"_Hey, this's Ellis, leave me a message an' I'll call ya back just as soon as I can!"_

"Hey, kid. Listen, I'm… I'm not going to be back on Sunday. I probably won't be getting in until Tuesday sometime, probably late. I'm sorry I didn't call you earlier. I've been… busy. I guess I'll talk to you later.

…Love you."

_(End Call)_

"Hello?"

"…"

"Hello? Who's this?"

"…"

"I'm serious, this ain't funny!"

"…"

_Click._

_(End Call)_

"Hello?"

"Ellis…"

"…Nick?"

"I…"

"…Nick, say somethin', darlin'. Yer scarin' me."

"I'm… sorry. I'm so damn sorry, Ellis."

_(Okay, so let's be frank. It was too vague, wasn't it? Does anyone have any idea what's going on? I hate to say it here and spoil it, but I guess if you've made it this far you've already given it a shot, so you might as well know for sure what it was that you just read. Here's the last phone call again, now with more than just the dialogue.)_

Nick held the cell phone up to his ear and paced back and forth at the foot of his bed. His suitcase sat open on the rumpled covers, his belongings strewn haphazardly inside. For once, there was something more important than making sure everything was neat and tidy, that everything was just so. Something that had been eating away at him inside ever since Friday night.

"Hello?"

Nick exhaled shakily, and he heard the sound shudder through the phone as static. God, his voice… It was so good to hear his voice. And at the same time, so painful. "Ellis…"

There was a pause on the other end, and he could almost hear the disbelief and hope that sprung up in the younger man at the familiar voice. "…Nick?"

His eyes squeezed shut as guilt settled even more heavily on his shoulders. He had no idea what sort of man he was dealing with. But he was about to find out, if he hadn't figured it out already. "I…" Ellis was smart, smarter than he seemed. He probably already knew. Unbidden, his fingers crept up to his own throat and brushed against his skin, tracing a mark that he knew was there even though he had no mirror before him to see it.

"…Nick, say somethin', darlin', yer scarin' me."

The worried tone shook him to his very soul, trembling faintly with concern and a desperate plea, one that he knew he couldn't fulfill, even though he desperately wanted to. Nick had to swallow hard when he tried to speak, choking on the sudden lump in his throat. "I'm… sorry." He sank to his knees where he stood, staring at himself in the warped reflection from the sliding glass door leading out onto a cozy little veranda and, more importantly, to the woman sitting out there, waiting for him. "I'm so damn sorry, Ellis."

_(Okay, so is it a little more clear now? Basically, Nick went off on a business trip, and rather than staying at a hotel, he shacked up with a lady friend, just like he always used to before Ellis came along. But this time he finds the guilt ruins any pleasure he got from the affair, and by the end of the weekend he's realized what a horrible mistake he's made and is forced to call Ellis to try and confess to his terrible misdeed. I hope you were able to get that without me having to tell you. If not, ah well. That's why this chapter was just an experiment. ^^ Hope you enjoyed, either way. Read and review, lovely readers!)_


	6. College AU Pt 2

_(This one was inspired a while ago, but I just couldn't make it turn out right until tonight. More fluff this time, less angst, lovely readers. I hope everyone enjoys!)_

Nick's arrival home was so much quieter than usual that Ellis would have missed it if he hadn't been listening for the door. He pushed himself up off his makeshift bed (aka the couch) and trailed across their shared apartment into the bedroom where Nick was lying on his stomach, still fully dressed, with his eyes shut.

"…Nick? You okay, man?"

The older man briefly lifted his head, prying his eyes open to stare at the other blearily. "Fine. Tired." His head dropped back onto the mattress. He hadn't even had the energy to crawl up so his head could be on the pillows, apparently. The comforter was thrown sloppily in a tangle across his waist, but the rest of his body was exposed. Considering he was still wearing his usual white-suit attire, though, it was doubtful that he was in any danger of getting a chill.

"I told ya t'get some sleep last night if ya really needed it. I woulda been fine sittin' up all on my own. Yer classes start way earlier than mine, ya know." Ellis sat on the edge of the bed near his shoulder, looking concerned.

"You don't say," muttered Nick, sarcastic even while barely conscious. "I'll be fine. Just… need to sleep." The glazed green eyes slid shut once more, and Ellis watched him for a moment as he simply sank into sleep like a stone thrown into water. He leaned forward and gently tugged the crumpled blanket off of the conman-turned-student, straightening it out before carefully pulling it up to cover him properly, even going so far as to tuck the edges in around him.

Smiling affectionately, Ellis eased a pillow under the dark head and tugged off his shoes, placing them neatly in the closet as he knew Nick preferred rather than leaving them beside the bed, as he would have done for himself. He left the room, shutting the door behind himself, and returned to the couch, slumping across the plush cushions with his thoughts spinning out of control, completely ignoring the TV's silenced picture.

It had been about a week since Nick had taken him in from his truck. He had promised to get a job and help pay for things, but Nick had assured him that money wasn't an issue, just so long as he didn't cause any trouble, he was welcome to hang around and use his couch for as long as necessary. Now, Ellis' Mama hadn't raised a fool, and he had readily accepted.

Of course, in keeping with his not being a fool, Ellis hadn't exactly been honest with his new landlord of sorts. One of the many fascinating things he had discovered since starting college (aside from things like how coffee actually _was_ one of the main food groups and professors really _didn't_ give a fuck if you paid attention so long as you were quiet) was that sexuality was much more open here. Everyone seemed to be experimenting, claiming to be 'bi-curious', and one thing could lead to another, and… well…

Ellis had figured out that he wasn't exactly entirely straight. He still really liked girls, don't get him wrong. Girls could be really beautiful, with their long hair and their curvy bodies and those voices could get all soft and sultry and…

…Yeah. Ellis really liked girls. But he also found that he could appreciate a fine male figure as well. And if Nick found out, he might kick him out. There'd never been any indication that Nick was anything but straight, and he didn't intend on pushing his luck and ending up back on the street after this stroke of good fortune.

It didn't help, of course, that Nick was incredibly attractive.

Ellis' eyes fluttered shut. Just for a moment, he could doze off. Considering Nick was already in for the night and fast asleep, there was no reason why he couldn't take a little nap before dinner…

Or he could, you know, pass out until sometime after midnight.

Ellis sat up with a grunt, rubbing at his eyes, and heard the familiar clatter of someone cooking in the kitchen. The bedroom light was on, he noticed, and the light over the stove was lit, but the rest of the apartment was dim. Ellis got up and padded into the other room, leaning against the doorway as he released a tired yawn.

Nick was standing at the stove, his suit jacket now missing and his sleeves rolled up. His usually slicked hair was mussed from sleep and shoved back away from his face. He looked exactly as one might expect – like he'd just rolled out of bed. Ellis kind of wanted to run his fingers through the messy hair, but he resisted the urge.

"What're ya makin'?" he asked, drawing the sharp green gaze of the older man.

"I didn't mean to wake you, kiddo. I woke up hungry and thought I'd make a sandwich or something." But a sandwich to Nick didn't mean the same thing as a sandwich to Ellis. Nick was making his midnight snack on the stove, in a frying pan, with a second pan as a weight. A makeshift Panini. Ellis smiled, unable to help himself.

"I'm kinda hungry, too. Think ya can make me one?"

Nick waved a hand at him. "Yeah, sure, why not? Get us out something to drink, all right? There should be some things in the fridge."

Ellis crossed to the previously mentioned appliance obediently and grabbed two beers from inside, setting one down on the counter beside Nick and keeping the other for himself. "Feelin' better now that ya got a nap in?" he asked with a grin.

The brunette shot him a glance, then looked back down at the sandwich he was preparing. "Yeah. I told you I just needed to get some sleep and I would be fine." There was a pause as both men fumbled for something to say. "…Thanks, by the way. For the pillow, and all that."

Ellis felt a soft blush begin to burn in his cheeks and he tugged on the brim of his hat, hoping to hide it. "Yeah, sure, no problem, man. Ya looked so tuckered out, I figured ya could use a comfortable rest, an' I knew ya could never get a good sleep layin' like ya were, so I –"

A sudden pull on his hat in the opposite direction brought him head up with a jerk, meeting the mischievous green eyes of the other. "Has anyone ever bothered to tell you that you talk way too much, Overalls?"

Ellis' blush deepened. "Yeah, tons'a people've told me that before. They tell me I could talk the ears off a statue, but I don' really see why I'd be talkin' to a statue, of all things, an' my Ma told me…" He trailed off, realizing he was doing it again, and glanced away quickly. "Sorry," he muttered.

"You're fine, sport. Here." Nick flipped the finished sandwich onto a plate and extended it toward Ellis. "Shove a sandwich in it." Ellis barely resisted the urge to tell him what else he could shove in it besides a sandwich.

_(What, innuendo? What, Ellis having the feelings first? What the hell is this? It's me continuing to derp around now that I have all this muse. I have a feeling my Harry Potter fans that just watch me as an author are getting pissed with me, but I'm seriously working on it. I just don't have the same inspiration for them as I do now for my Nellis thanks to my Ellis. :3 Hope all my lovely readers enjoyed!_


	7. Definitely a Treat

_(I know it's been a little while, lovely readers, but I'm finally getting at least something out to you. Granted, it's a little late, but it was entered into a contest so I couldn't post it anywhere else until the judging was finished, and then I've just been so busy…! Regardless, here's a little Halloween smut, just for you guys. ^^ Enjoy)_

Did they really have to keep touching him like that? Running their manicured fingers over the bar top and batting their eyes at him? Did they think he'd fix them free drinks if they came onto him? Or that he'd follow them home as soon as he got off the clock? Why couldn't they see that his interest barely reached beyond the admiration of the physical, with no promise of more behind it? Why couldn't they see he was already taken?

"Ladies." He could hear that familiar, sultry purr from where he stood and it immediately got his hackles rising. Of course, if he didn't flirt right back at them quite so much, it might have helped them to take the hint and leave him alone.

Ellis strode over to the bar, his mouth set in a determined frown, and slid onto the closest open stool, annoyed by the amused smirk the older man behind the bar sent his way. "I wanna drink," he ordered, pushing his cowboy hat back so that it rested on its string around his neck. It had been Nick's idea to bring Ellis along to the bar for his shift tonight, considering there was a Halloween party going on and Nick was going to be forced to be in costume anyway. Why not let the hick enjoy himself in the meantime until they could go home together?

"You'll have to wait your turn, sport. I'm serving these lovely ladies at the moment." Nick turned back to the giggling trio with a charming smile, leaning toward them ever so slightly. Ellis had to admit, the man was damned fine, especially with that – ironic – police uniform as his outfit. With that hat cocked at just the right angle… Ellis fought off a little shiver. He wouldn't mind getting pulled over by Officer Nick. Not at all.

"Now, what can I help you three with?" Nick's flirty return to the three girls – dressed as fairies or something, with cutesy little wings on their backs and glittery makeup around their eyes – helped to spoil Ellis' rising good mood immediately.

The two brunettes shared a look while their blonde companion rested her elbow on the bar. "I could think of quite a few things," she murmured in a tone that set Ellis' teeth on edge. "But we'll have a round of martinis to get us started."

Nick's smirk widened. "Well, I'm here to serve. Those drinks will be right up." Ellis fought the urge to glare at the girls as Nick turned around and started fixing the requested martinis. Usually Ellis wasn't the jealous type at all, but there was just something about Nick… It wasn't even like they were married or anything, there was no way that those girls could know that Nick was unavailable. He certainly wasn't hurting anyone by flirting back; actually, it was probably very good for business to have such a ladies' man behind the bar.

But that still didn't mean he had to like it.

By the time Nick turned back to give the girls their drinks, Ellis had worked himself up past the point of simply not reacting. "Now, kiddo, is there anything that I can do for you?" Ellis blinked, bringing Nick suddenly back into focus when he realized that the former conman's attention was now focused solely on him. Those intense green eyes bored into his, almost daring him to make a move as his lips quirked up at the corners.

Ellis leaned forward across the bar top without thinking, bracing his arms on the slick wooden surface. His plaid sleeves slid a bit but then seemed to catch against the wood and held firm, helping him to lever his weight up and over to grab Nick by the collar, dragging him forward to crush their mouths together. Nick responded immediately and enthusiastically, his fingers tangling in his hair while his tongue swept in to take control, ravishing his mouth with fierce desperation.

By the time they pulled away from one another, they had earned the attention of at the least the entirety of the bar itself, if not every patron in the room at the moment. Satisfied by the total shock on the faces of the three fairy girls, Ellis leaned his elbow on the bar with a cocky grin, tugging his hat back into place as he resettled his boots on the rungs of his stool. "I'll take a beer, man."

Nick's eyes were dark with arousal, promising retribution later.

Ellis couldn't wait.

_(Time skip)_

The sharp jab of metal digging into his spine wasn't nearly distracting enough compared to the drugging heat of Nick's mouth locked onto his. He could hear Nick fumbling with his keys, trying to unlock the door without lifting his head. "Shit…!" Ellis felt himself falling backward as the door fell open behind him, scrambling to latch onto something before he landed on his ass.

Nick's arm wrapped firmly around him before he went too far, keeping him close as the door shut behind them. "Easy, fireball," he whispered, "I've got you."

Ellis grinned. "Would you'a been there for me if them girls from earlier were here?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Damn it, kid, weren't we about to fuck?"

Ellis leaned back, but Nick's arm was firm against his back and gave him no room to really go anywhere. "Uh-uh, Officer, not until ya answer my question."

He watched as Nick's brows wrinkled under the brim of his police hat for a moment, but then they cleared and a purely salacious look crossed his features. Ellis swallowed hard. He had a feeling that he knew where this was going now. And he didn't have any complaints, no sir.

"All right, then, partner. We'll play it your way." Ellis gave a little startled yelp as he was suddenly flipped around and pressed against the wall with his arms behind his back, squirming as he felt the cool steel suddenly ratchet shut around his wrists.

"Nick, man, what the hell?" he demanded, twisting around to try and see the other male. Nick smirked down at him.

"Just giving you what you asked for, sport."

"I haven't been read my rights yet, officer," he snipped, wriggling. Nick leaned into him and Ellis gave a little moan, grinding back against him.

"All right, then, you have the right to remain silent." Nick tugged the bandana from around his younger lover's neck and secured it between his overactive lips, grinning at the startled look on his face. "Until I say otherwise. You have the right to be searched very thoroughly for weapons or contraband. Officer Nick will be doing these searches. You have no telephone calls or lawyers." His hands were already slipping under the plaid shirt, pushing the vest downward until it caught on his bound hands. "Since you can't talk, I assume you understand your rights, and agree with them."

Ellis gave a muffled moan as Nick's hands slipped into his pants and continued to work at stripping him, pressing his naked ass back into the cool wall when the worn denims fell around his ankles, tangling around his boots. Nick tossed his hat onto the nearby couch and then leaned down to be on the level with Ellis' face. "Stay right here, cowboy."

He strolled off, sending his own hat to join the brown cowboy hat already on the sofa, and Ellis did as he was told and stayed put, squirming. He loved it when Nick indulged him like this, but all he really wanted was to be fucked good and hard. Trust Nick to feel playful now of all times.

When the older man returned, he was naked, much to Ellis' delight. And carrying the lube. "Looks like you're not carrying anything in your clothes, kiddo," he said with a smirk as he uncapped it and squirted a generous amount into his palm, tossing it to the side as well. "Time for the cavity search." Ellis' heart rate picked up, and he kicked his head back into the wall and panted as Nick slipped first one, then two fingers inside him, scissoring them until he groaned, begging him to get on with it and fuck him already. Nick just glanced up at him with a little grin and eased a third finger in, enjoying the chorus of moans that rose up in response.

His own cock was clearly reacting positively to teasing the other, and he reached up with his free hand to free the hick from his gag, immediately sealing their mouths together, apparently intent on doing an equally thorough 'search' of this cavity as well. Ellis wasn't going to be the one that stopped him.

"C'mon, man," he whined, "I wanna touch ya, too…" He tugged at the handcuffs keeping his hands secured and Nick paused, removing his fingers from Ellis' now-stretched opening to slick his cock with more lube, almost ready to move on to the main event. But first…

"I don't think this is about what you want, cowboy." Nick flipped him around again so that his face was pressed against the wall, whining until he felt Nick pressing into him, sliding in until he was buried to the hilt. Ellis moaned and rested his heated cheek against the wall, his fingers curling and uncurling searchingly.

Nick chuckled, pressed close to his back, his breath warm and hot on the nape of Ellis' neck. "So persistent."

Ellis had to bite his lip when Nick really started to move. He tried to buck back into every thrust, but it was mighty difficult with his hands still captured as they were at the moment. "N-Nick," he groaned, "C'mon, man, _please…_"

Nick grunted and began fucking him even harder. Ellis thought his knees were going to give way clean out from under him. "T-that's not what I meant an' you know it!" But he still couldn't deny enjoying it, especially when Nick started to nibble at his neck from behind. Looked like he was going to be wearing something with a high collar for a little while. Nick never went away without leaving a mark. It should have been annoying, but on a guy like Nick it was only a sign of how much he had come to actually mean to the other man.

The sudden click of the handcuffs coming undone drew Ellis back from his hazy sexual reverie, immediately bringing them forward to brace against the wall while the circulation returned, sending tingles through all ten of his fingers and even into his palms a little. Even though this was exactly what he'd been asking for, at this point he was so swept up in the ridiculously amazing pounding of Nick's cock in and out of him that he couldn't even remember what he'd wanted them to be loose for.

"Shit… Ellis…" Nick's voice was a quick and appreciated reminder, and Ellis' arms curved around behind him to curl around his lover's neck, hanging on tight as Nick continued to fuck him relentlessly, their breaths coming out in short bursts. Ellis tangled his fingers in the usually-slicked back hair and leaned his head back, moaning loudly. Nick was more than happy to return the noise with one of his own, then their mouths somehow managed to fuse together again, only adding to their arousal.

"N-Nick, m'close, man," he whined, trembling all over as the end approached, suddenly and rapidly without nearly enough warning to be able to hold it off.

"F-fucking hell, kid," Nick groaned, and Ellis flushed.

"M'sorry," he began, but then Nick did something that made his insides twist and he dropped his head with a shout, writhing on his lover's cock as he clenched around him, splattering the wall in front of him with his come.

He could feel Nick still fucking him hard and fast as he slowly descended from orgasm and into the sated bliss that followed, but it didn't take long at all for Nick to follow him to the end, relaxing against him so that they were propped up on the wall, content to catch their breath and cuddle standing up for a little while.

Ellis nuzzled back into Nick's shoulder briefly, smiling. "So, did I pass inspection, Officer?" he asked. Nick cracked open one eye to skim him with a brief look.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "How about we hit the shower and we'll start phase two?"

"Mmm, but this time, kin you wear the cuffs instead?"

_(Be sure to leave a review, lovely readers!)_


	8. Out in a Storm

_(Hello, lovely readers, I've got another drabble for you. ^^ This one is angsty, but it's still got all the Nellis-y goodness, so I hope you all enjoy. Leave a review, guys, show the love!)_

"Ellis! _Ellis_! Get the fuck back here, where are you going?"

Ellis ignored him, snatching his keys, his cell phone, his wallet, and his hat from the kitchen counter. He could hear Nick behind him, storming down the stairs, still calling for him, but he was determined to make it out of the house before his lover could stop him. He slammed the front door open and stepped out into an utterly black night. The wind raged around him, yanking at his hair and clothes, pelting him with fat, heavy droplets of rain at an alarming rate. The yard was already flooded in places.

Determined, Ellis slogged his way out to his truck, clambering up into the driver's side and shutting the door quickly to protect himself from the elements. He could see Nick on the porch, one hand cupped at his mouth, clearly still trying to get his attention. Ellis pulled the brim of his hat just a little bit lower and cranked up his truck. He pulled out of the driveway and out onto the road.

Fuck Nick. He was going to Keith's.

In the cup holder, his phone's screen began to glow and the device vibrated frantically. Ellis didn't even look at it, reaching over to turn the thing off.

_(Time skip)_

Nick hung up the phone with a snarl, throwing it onto the couch without any regard for whether it landed safely or shattered. "Fucking tits," he muttered, and kicked at a kitchen chair as he passed it. He rummaged through the fridge for a moment, not really sure what he was looking for, and then slammed the door shut again, unsatisfied. What he really wanted to do was go after him. Right now. He knew that Ellis would be heading for Keith's, and he knew how to get there, unfortunately. But he didn't intend to just give in so easily.

Fuck him. He had warned Ellis not to go out there. It was pouring down rain and it was predicted to continue until sometime tomorrow morning. Ellis sucked at driving in the rain. His vision was totally compromised and it was incredibly dangerous for him to be out in this kind of weather. Nick wasn't too much better, but it was enough of a difference that he much preferred driving in the rain, however inconvenient it was, to letting Ellis do it.

And now he was out alone in this horrible storm, driving thirty miles to get to Keith's… Fuck, it would probably take him a good hour to get there in this weather. The idea of Ellis being on the road, during a storm, at night, for an hour left a sick weight in Nick's gut. Nevermind that the kid knew better than to do something so stupid.

Anger returned. It really _was _fucking stupid of him! He _knew_ better! It was his own damn fault if something happened and he ended up spending the night on the side of the road because he couldn't see to get to Keith's and couldn't get himself back home either. Or, you know, if he crashed. It was his own damn fault. He wouldn't feel bad at all if something like that happened. Served him right. Definitely.

That sick weight got a little heavier.

"God dammit, Ellis!"

He raced back into the den and grabbed the phone off the couch, dialing the all-too familiar number. It went straight to voicemail.

_(Time skip)_

"Thanks fer lettin' me stay here tonight, man." Ellis scratched the back of his head as Keith shut the door behind him, closing out the storm that continued to wage war against their portion of the Earth. "Nick an' I got in a screamin' match an' I just couldn't stand t'be there anymore, ya know?"

Keith nodded, throwing his arm around his shoulders. "You don't hav'ta explain yerself t'me, El. You know yer welcome over here anytime. What'd you two fight about, anyways?"

Ellis tugged on the brim of his hat uneasily. "…Somethin' stupid, that's all."

"Uh-huh. Well, you know where the couch is, man. I'm headin' t'bed. Me'n'Dave are going to a gun show in Brunswick tomorrow. It's gonna be awesome!" He scrubbed his hand roughly over Ellis' head and headed upstairs, waving back at him as he climbed the stairs. "If I don' see ya in the mornin', I hope everythin' works out between you and that Yank."

Ellis sighed. "Ya'll have fun. Thanks, Keith." He wandered into the other room and plopped onto the couch, frowning as he patted his pockets and realized he had left his phone out in his truck. He shook his head and tossed his hat onto the nearby coffee table, kicking his shoes off. He'd just get it in the morning. He still didn't really feel like talking to Nick anyway.

Ellis found it difficult to sleep, however. He dozed off, slept for maybe an hour, and then was up again staring at the ceiling. Lather, rinse, repeat. He could hear the snores of his two best friends upstairs, echoing out of their bedroom and down the stairs to where he lay. It should have been soothing, but all he could think about was Nick's quieter snore, how it all but disappeared the rare times that he slept on his stomach. He wondered if Nick had waited up for him, how long it had taken him to give up and go to sleep.

Ellis sat up and glanced around for the wall clock, and found that it was already five o'clock in the morning. He had been up and down all night, but time had still somehow managed to pass quickly. He doubted he was going to be getting anymore sleep. Not here, anyway. Ellis got up quietly and got his boots and hat on, making sure that his wallet and keys were with him, and then tip-toed to the front door and peeked out. Water still dripped from everything, making it all too obvious that it had only very recently stopped raining. The yard seemed to be one big muddy puddle, and the road didn't look too much better.

Ellis trudged through the filthy water and climbed into his truck. Nick would have never come out in this mess. Not with his precious Mercedes. God forbid anything got tracked into that little beauty. Ellis couldn't blame the man for being protective; it was in fabulous shape for having survived the apocalypse.

Ellis cranked his truck and eased his way out of the pond Keith's yard had become and out onto the road, which looked completely abandoned in both directions. Everyone else in this town had enough sense to stay home in this kind of weather. Except him, apparently. Ellis took his time about driving back, not wanting to hydroplane into a ditch somewhere now after making it through the thick of things last night.

By the time he pulled into his own driveway, which was as horribly flooded as Keith's had been, he realized that his phone was still sitting in the holder where he had left it, completely silent. He had never turned it back on. Ellis picked it up and held down the power button, watching the loading screen for a moment before he tucked it into his pocket and slogged through the yard to his front door, fumbling with his keys for a moment before he realized that it was still unlocked. Brows furrowed, he pushed it open and stepped inside.

The first thing he noticed was the light in the kitchen, which appeared to be the only light left on in the house. He headed toward it, feeling a little uneasy. In his pocket, his phone started to vibrate. He stopped in the doorway and merely gaped at the mess. One of their chairs appeared to have met with some sort of violent force, shattering one of the legs clean off and leaving two of the others crooked. The back was split, its top hanging on by mere splinters. Glass from what looked like several beer bottles littered the floor. The dishes from last night's dinner were thrown into the sink, quite literally. The majority of them looked like they'd had chunks knocked out of them. They would probably all end up being thrown away.

Ellis followed the trail of destruction to the stairs, where more glass lay broken and untended, this time from a picture frame. It was of the two of them, at the fair that he'd managed to drag Nick along to. They'd been on the Ferris wheel together. Ellis set the broken frame, picture still inside, on a nearby table and spotted the flickering glow of the television in the den. He headed toward it. His phone was still vibrating rather insistently in his pocket.

He pulled it out as he walked, glancing down at it as he stepped into the other room. _You have 54 missed messages, 25 voicemails._ Ellis stared at it in shock, and then looked up to see Nick, draped in a rather uncomfortable position on their couch. His arm dangled awkwardly over the edge, his fingertips brushing the back of his cell phone where it had apparently fallen from his grasp. There were deep, dark circles under his eyes, and he was still in the clothes he'd been wearing yesterday.

Ellis looked back at his phone, and felt a wave of guilt crash over him. He lifted his phone to his ear, and pressed play.

_Ellis, you had better get your ass back here! Do you hear me? I'm not fucking around, Ellis, get back here; you know you can't drive in the rain! If you crash and die or something I am going to be so pissed with you! Call me as soon as you get this message!_

_Ellis, come on! Are you really going to drive all the way to Keith's in this weather? Pull over somewhere and I'll come get you, you fucking idiot. Call me back, stop ignoring me, you asshat! I know you have your phone with you!_

_Ellis, come on, answer the phone! What the fuck is wrong with you? …Are you okay? Did you already crash? Come on, Ellis; just let me know you're all right. I don't care if you go to Keith's tonight, just let me know you're all right. I'm… fuck._

_Ellis! Listen, I'm sorry, all right? Is that what you're waiting for? Then fine! I'm. Sorry. You win. Please come home now. Or at least let me know you're hearing this. Surely you've made it to Keith's by now. It's been hours. Ellis…_

_I don't know what you want from me, Ellis. Just… call me. Please. I'll… I'll do whatever it takes. J-just…_ Ellis could have sworn he heard a muffled sob just before the phone clicked off this time. By the time he reached the last message, he was close to tears himself.

_I guess you're not going to call me back. That's fine. I hope you made it to Keith's all right. I've… kind of been waiting for this, actually. I'm no good for you; you deserve someone much better than me to spend the rest of your life with. I just… didn't know that tonight was going to be our last night. I would have… done things differently, I guess. Treasured our last hours together a little more. Then again, maybe if I'd been doing that anyway, we wouldn't have fought in the first place. Good night, Ellis. I love you._

Ellis lowered the phone, rubbing his palms over his face. The sound of movement from the couch had him lifting his head, looking on with reddened eyes as Nick sat up a little, rubbing his arm over his face. He looked up, his dark hair mussed and his eyes bloodshot, and stared at Ellis like he didn't even recognize him.

"Ellis…"

The younger man threw himself across the room and right on top of the other, clinging to him tightly. Nick wrapped his arm around him, still trying to make sense of what was going on. "Ellis," he repeated, and his fingers suddenly tightened in his shirt, holding him close. "When did… _Ellis_." They clung to one another, riding out the waves of surprise and lingering upset together, until they both felt safe enough to pull back and look up at one another. "When did you… get back? I thought…"

Ellis leaned up and kissed him, snuggling into his chest immediately afterward. He was suddenly very, very tired. "Just now," he admitted. "I turned my phone off right when I was leavin' and it was off all night. I'm so sorry. I would'a come home right away if I'd gotten yer messages when ya sent 'em, I was just so mad at'cha, and then I got t'Keith's an' I forgot all about it, an'…"

Nick tangled his fingers in his hair, knocking his hat aside, and tugged him in for another kiss. "If you're just a dream, you still talk too much," he murmured.

Ellis smiled against his lips. "M'not a dream," he promised with a little laugh, pulling back once more. "Did'ja mean all that stuff ya said in yer messages?"

Nick's brows drew together, thinking back. He had poured out his heart and soul into those messages. He had truly thought that he would never see Ellis again. In the light of the new day, he was a little embarrassed by everything that he had said. Ellis watched, fascinated, as a hint of red colored across his lover's cheeks. "Of course I meant it," he muttered. He let out a startled yelp as Ellis tackled him back down onto the couch, his arms now tight around him once more.

"Good. 'Cause I love you too."

_(How was it? C'mon, review, my lovely readers! :D)_


	9. Baby It's Cold Outside

_(Merry Christmas, lovely readers! :D Have some fluffy, delicious Christmas Nellis! This was heavily influenced by a very famous Christmas song. Three guesses which, lovely readers ;). Enjoy! Be sure to review!)_

Ellis loved Christmas. Especially post-apocalypse Christmas. Why, you might ask? Well, ever since CEDA finished cleaning out the infected rampaging across the country and people started being allowed to settle down places again, Nick had invited him (gruffly and rather embarrassedly, at that) to come and live with him. He had a place up north, and it was conveniently located within one of the cleared areas.

After processing quite a lot of paperwork and greasing a few palms ("This is why I kept my wallet full, kiddo. Money talks even during an apocalypse."), they were allowed to move there. Due to its rather remote location on the outskirts of a small town in Pennsylvania, it was almost untouched by the devastation.

Ellis leaned back in his chair and subtly patted his full belly, grinning as he surveyed the empty dishes on the table. "Hot damn, Nick, that was delicious!" he complimented, tugging on the brim of his hat ever so slightly in a salute of sorts to the other man.

Nick swirled the remaining wine at the bottom of his glass and merely smirked. "Glad you liked it, sport."

Ellis slid out his chair a little and got to his feet, brushing himself off. "I hate t'eat an' run, but I gotta go. Keith asked me t'come over an' help him with somethin' he's got cooked up for Dave for Christmas."

Nick frowned, but quickly controlled the grim expression and wiped his mouth on his napkin, dropping it on his plate as he got up as well. "Really? I don't remember you mentioning that before."

Ellis shrugged, "Oh, yeah, I was tellin' you about it yesterday. Remember, I started tryin' t'tell you what Keith got me for Christmas that last Christmas before the infection hit an' all, and how he's been tryin' t'be bigger and better every year, an' –"

Nick rubbed the bridge of his nose briefly. "I think I'm beginning to see why I don't recall hearing about it." It was so hard sometimes to pick relevant information out of all the stories Ellis liked to tell. Regardless of whether or not the hick had remembered to tell him about this little venture, however, it still left him rather alone tonight. Usually when Ellis went over to Keith's after dinner, he ended up staying the night. Considering how far it was, it just made more sense rather than driving so late at night.

Nick glanced away while Ellis bent to put on his boots, noticing out the window where snow had begun to fall for the second time this week. Ellis had nearly had a fit the first time he had seen the ground coated in the icy substance. Watching it now, an idea sparked in Nick's clever mind. He rubbed the back of his neck and crossed to the front door, brushing past Ellis to do so. "I don't know, Overalls. It's looking pretty cold outside."

"I'll only be in it long enough t'walk out t'my truck, an' from my truck t'Keith's," Ellis chuckled, adjusting his hat on his head before fishing through his pockets for his keys. He frowned, feeling nothing. "I really can't stay, Nick, m'sorry."

"It's probably only going to get worse." Nick remained by the door, his hands in his pockets. "It really looks like it's going to get too cold for you to be out driving tonight."

Ellis wandered over to the couch to check his coveralls, thinking maybe he had left his keys in one of the pockets when he got home. Nothing. Patting at his jeans again, he turned to look at Nick finally. "All the more reason for me t'hurry up an' leave now. Tonight was really great an' all, man, but I still gotta go. You seen my keys?"

Nick rolled his eyes, fighting a smile, and joined his lover by the couch, ignoring his question in favor of tugging both his calloused hands into his own. "Your hands are like ice and we're still inside where it's warm. I think it'd be best if you stay in."

Ellis' breath hitched ever so slightly. The promise he could see behind those dark eyes was so tempting; he could always go by tomorrow and help Keith out, right? But no! He had promised! Despite himself, Ellis tried to tug his hands free, brows furrowing. "I already promised Keith I'd be there tonight, Nick. He's gonna worry about me if I don' show up."

"So call him. Let him know you won't be there because it's too cold outside." Nick stepped away. "You can't go until you find your keys anyway. Why don't I fix you a little something to warm you up while you look?"

Ellis felt rather bewildered by the older man's odd behavior as he disappeared into the kitchen. Over his shoulder, he added, "Put a little music on or something, kiddo, if you're not too busy searching." Even though he felt a little irritated by all the delays, Ellis couldn't bring himself to rebel against Nick's request when he was in such an uncharacteristically good mood. He wandered over to their CD collection (mostly Nick's from before the apocalypse) and picked one out that he knew Nick liked when he was looking to relax. Smooth, wordless notes began to play immediately, drifting softly through the room as Nick returned with a glass for each of them.

"Nice choice," was all he said, and handed Ellis his drink. He glanced toward the window and was pleased to note that the snow was still falling steadily. "It's looking pretty bad out there. I'm telling you, kiddo, your best bet is to just stay here tonight."

Ellis started to shake his head, lifting his glass for a swallow, and started to cough. "Holy shit, Nick, what's in this drink?" he asked, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth.

Nick just grinned. "Something to keep you warm, like I said."

Ellis was beginning to get the feeling that he was being played with. But as Nick set his glass on the nearby coffee table and stepped in a little closer, he found that it was rather difficult to mind. Before he knew it, he felt his hat being lifted off his head, and ringed fingers stroked through his hair. "Nick," he murmured, already lifting his head even before he felt the fingers under his chin propelling it upward so their eyes could meet.

"I don't understand why you're always hiding under this thing, you have nice hair." He tossed the offending article onto the table as well. "And your eyes…" Ellis felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Like starlight."

Ellis reached up to tug on a hat that was no longer there. "Nick," he repeated, mumbling now. It wasn't Nick's usual style to shower him with such compliments. "I really need…"

Nick leaned in closer, so that their bodies brushed. "Is it really something so important that it can't wait until tomorrow? It's only getting colder out there."

Ellis' breath hitched audibly this time. "W-well, Keith's gonna be suspicious if I cancel on him so last minute an' all…"

"You think he doesn't already know about us?" Nick's fingers quested up the back of his neck, into his hair, massaging soothingly. "You think he expects me to live with you and be in a relationship with you and still be able to resist you like that? I'm sure he knows better. God, those lips of yours alone…" His gaze was getting dark, heated, but his touch was still gentle as his thumb skimmed along his jaw and caressed his lower lip. "So delicious."

Ellis felt his stomach clench. Holy shit. He'd never been so artfully seduced with mere words before. Usually all Nick had to do was send a suggestive look and a little wink his way and they were halfway up the stairs to bed, no wooing required. It made him suddenly want to try and resist a little more from now on. Just what else had he been missing out on by being so compliant?

Now rather enjoying the game, Ellis forced himself to pull away, taking a few steps toward the door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of annoyance flit over Nick's features before it vanished. "My answer's still no, Nick. I made Keith a promise."

Nick followed him, refusing to give in just yet. Ellis felt his back hit the front door and his knees gave a little wobble. Just a little. "It's nearly up to your knees out there by now, El," he murmured, pinning him there with a hand on either side of his head. "How could you do this to me?"

Ellis swallowed. Hard. "Do what?"

"Leave me here." A warm kiss was pressed to his throat. "All alone." A brief nip, followed by a soothing lick from that talented tongue.

"When it's so."

Kiss.

"Cold."

Nip.

"Outside."

Nick pressed a final kiss to Ellis' neck before moving up and capturing his lips with his own, ravishing away any lingering thoughts of leaving or going to Keith's. By the time they separated, desperate for air, Ellis was afraid his legs might just give way right out from under him. He curled his arms up and around Nick's neck, clinging. "Then you better make me stayin' worth my while," he murmured with a little grin, enjoying the light of challenge that came into Nick's eyes.

Ellis gasped when he suddenly found himself in the air, his legs flailing just a little before he curled them around Nick's waist, his body supported by the wide, warm palms cupping his ass rather firmly. Ellis found himself flat on his back on the couch, with Nick quickly climbing over to straddle him. "I'll make it worth your while, sport," he growled, and shivers ran up his spine. "More than once." _Oh, dear Lord._

Ellis tipped his head back while Nick went to town, his eyelids soon fluttering shut as clothes were discarded and that hot, wet mouth moved lower and lower.

"Thank God it was cold outside."

_(Awwwwwww, how dare I tease my lovely readers with such a cliff hanger ending? XD I'm sorry, but I simply couldn't resist. I feel like I really should have written in the smut and extended the length of the story, but it just didn't go as well with the soft, romantic theme that the rest of the story had going for it. I hope you can forgive me and enjoy regardless. ^^)_


	10. Poltergeist AU Pt 1

"Listen, Nick, we've been doing business together for a long time now, you and me. You know it hurts my heart deep to double cross a standup partner like you of all people." The heavy-set thug grinned widely at his captive, making it difficult to trust the sincerity of his words. "But the Boss wants things taken care of. And you know what the Boss is like. So I've got no choice. You understand what it's like, don't you? It's just business, nothing personal."

From his position in the middle of the room, Nick snarled a curse through the dirty rag currently serving as his gag. His hands were bound behind his back, and the noose was tight around his throat. His feet barely touched the stool which had been shoved underneath him to prolong his suffering. But then, they were partners, and he had always known Raymond to be a sadistic bastard. He just hadn't imagined when he had come to the usual spot for some poker that he would be greeted with a gun in his face rather than the usual sly grin.

"Seems pretty perfect when you think about it, doesn't it? You, dying on Halloween. Hell," he chuckled, "You're even wearing one of your best suits. How much is this one supposed to be worth, like $3000? Seems like a little much for one outfit, but we always knew you were a little bit faggy. At least this way they won't have to worry about changing your clothes for the funeral."

Nick growled and lunged forward, coughing and groaning as his precarious footing slipped momentarily. Raymond laughed harshly and gave the stool a swift kick. There was a garbled yell and then a sharp, sudden crack brought a momentary silence to the room.

Raymond smirked and gave the hanging body a nudge before turning away. "Goodbye, Nick. See you in hell."

Outside, the wind gave a low, lonely whistle.

_(Time skip)_

"Hot damn!" Ellis lowered the last cardboard box with a grunt and placed his hands on his hips as he surveyed the place he would be calling home from now on. It was a beautiful little two story place isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city, up a long, winding dirt road through some beautiful forest that took a few solid minutes to drive just to get back onto the road that would take you back to town.

It was utterly perfect. Sure, his Ma had said it was a little big for a single guy like him, but that just left plenty of room to grow, in his mind. And it had been abandoned out here for a long time apparently, so it needed a little life back in it before it ended up crumbling away into nothing. Now _that_ would definitely be a shame. Just because of some old ghost story, people were going to let a beautiful home like this turn to dust.

"Man, this place is gonna be awesome." Ellis sorted through his boxes until he found one meant for the upstairs and headed up two steps at a time, ducking his head into every doorway as he passed, like an excited puppy exploring his new territory.

He dropped the box on the floor in the bathroom, taking a moment to admire the footed bathtub and the perfectly preserved flooring, and then continued on, counting off rooms on his fingers. Master bedroom, master bathroom, office, guest bed and bath… He stopped at the final door and was thrilled to see yet another flight of stairs. The attic! He had forgotten all about it! And this wasn't some old rickety ladder from the ceiling; this was a built-in staircase leading up to what was technically the third floor of the house. He'd never really lived in a house with a full attic before; it had been much more like a crawl space than anything else.

Ellis tromped up the stairs and tried the knob, only to find it locked. He frowned. "Now how in the hell…" He scratched the back of his head just where his cap ended and tried it again, but it stood firm. "Huh. M'gonna have to find a key or somethin' for this door." If it came down to it, he could always just take it down and have a new lock installed. Though why anyone would need to lock their attic was beyond him.

Mystified, Ellis headed back downstairs to continue moving around his boxes to their proper rooms. Soon he was whistling cheerily, the attic puzzle long forgotten. He was busy enough trying to rearrange all his belongings in his new home. The attic would wait.

Meanwhile, upstairs…

A sleeping beast stirred.

_(Time skip)_

That night, the noises woke him. Boards creaked loudly overhead, as if someone was pacing in the attic. Pipes rattled in the walls as if the whole house wanted to come down around him. The whistling wind slammed the window shutters that still needed repairing, even though the weather had been forecast as clear all night, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Ellis swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, clad only in his boxers. "'Scuse me, Mr. Ghost?" he called to the house in general. "Yeah, I'm tryin' t'sleep, 'cause I've gotta finish unpackin' an' all tomorrow. So if you could jus' be quiet tonight, you can try an' scare me tomorrow, okay?"

The rattling stopped, as did the wind. A chill ran down Ellis' spine. He had only been kidding, a joking nod to the ghost stories that had come with the old house he had moved into. The footsteps upstairs, however, were coming closer. And as they grew closer, they got louder.

Very clearly, Ellis tracked them across the attic, down the stairs, and down the hall to his room. Now, Ellis' Granny had taught him not to mess with spirits, but she also taught him not to fear them. But even Ellis couldn't fight the shiver from running down his spine as he sat there and watched his bedroom door, fighting against the growing wave of apprehension that was washing through him. He had never thought he'd have to use the information she had passed on to him.

The door slammed open and bounced off the opposite wall, resounding loudly through the room and down the hall. But the doorway was empty. Ellis shifted his feet up a little higher onto the mattress as he realized there was an odd, blue-ish mist leaking into the room, creeping toward his bed. "_**Get oooouuuuttt!**_" A deep, gravelly voice seemed to come from everywhere and yet nowhere at once.

Ellis scooted up a little higher into his blankets and tugged them up to his waist "Holy shit, holy _shit_," he muttered, pawing at his hat agitatedly. The stories hadn't been stories, they were fucking _true_! "G-get the fuck outta here!" he ordered, wincing at the tremble that snuck into his voice. The blue mist encircled the bed, wafting up as if it would creep onto the bed with him, then drawing back. Ellis nearly gave himself whiplash trying to track the multiple tendrils that seemed to be trying to sneak up on him. "I-I'm serious!" he snapped, "If you don' get outta here, I'll… I'll… I'll take care'a you!"

Lucky for Ellis, this was not the ordinary ghost.

The mist began to solidify, and streaks of white joined the blue, swirling upward until it began to take on the shape of a man. A rather tall man. And very well dressed. A pale, transparent hand ran over dark, slicked-back hair as if any of it could possibly be out of place, an annoyed scowl tugging down the thin lips of an admittedly handsome ghost. The apparition tugged the lapels of its white suit into place and glared at him.

"What the hell do you mean, you'll 'take care'a me'?" The echo was mocking, exaggerating his already thick accent unnecessarily. "I've been here for over a decade, kiddo. I probably made my first kill while you were still in diapers. What the fuck do you know, huh?"

Ellis tugged nervously on a lock of dirty blonde hair that had fallen into his face. "You heard me," he confirmed shakily, "M-my Granny taught me how t'ward off unfriendly spirits. Jus' 'cause you scared everyone else off don' mean it's gonna work on me. I'm here t'stay."

The spirit raised an eyebrow at him. "Listen, sport, I'm sure 'yer granny'," he drawled condescendingly, "was good at taking care of whatever little two-bit ghosts hung around your hick town, but I'm not your average fucking specter. How else do you think I've managed to keep this place empty for so long? Your bravery's cute and all, but I give you a week before you're packing your shit and getting the hell out."

Ellis sat up a little straighter, frowning now despite himself. Ghost or not, his pride didn't quite appreciate the blow. "S'that so? An' jus' what's yer name, Mr. All-Powerful Ghost?"

"Name's Nick," he said, brushing off the front of his transparent suit, "but don't bother remembering it, because you're not going to be here for much longer."

Ellis' eyes narrowed. He didn't particularly like this ghost's attitude. Any warnings his granny might have issued were easily forgotten as his oh-so-rare temper flared. "We'll jus' see about that."

Nick cocked his head at him, a smirk gradually tugging the corners up his mouth up. "Is that a challenge?"

"If ya like. I'm not goin' anywhere, so if yer gonna try an' scare me off, I'm gonna fight back."

Nick chuckled humorlessly. "It's war, then. I'll be seeing you in the morning, kiddo." He turned away as his body started to fade, pausing to glance back at him for just a moment to add, "If I had any money in this form, I'd be betting on it."

And like that, he was gone. Ellis grumbled as he crawled back under his blankets and settled his head on his pillow. First thing in the morning, he was going out for supplies.

If this Nick fella wanted a war, Ellis was going to give one to him.

_(Time skip)_

The first thing Ellis did when he woke up the next morning was head straight back into town to do some serious shopping. If everything his old Granny had ever told him was true, he knew exactly what he would need to protect himself – and perhaps even fight back against – this angry spirit haunting his new home. Part of him wanted to retreat instead, just pack right back up and find some other fixer upper to move into. One that didn't come with a permanent house guest. But to turn tail and run now would be like admitting defeat to the other. And Ellis wasn't about to give up without at least trying to fight back. Even if the thought of returning to his haunted house was sending chills down his spine.

The cashier – not to mention some of his fellow early morning shoppers – gave him more than his fair share of odd looks as several pounds of salt, a large spray bottle, white candles, and several other common items that all together made quite an unconventional picture were rung up.

How strange this new addition to their little town was turning out to be, they couldn't help but think to themselves. Of course, he had to be at least a little strange to be so willing to buy the cursed property he now lived on.

Meanwhile, Nick was making preparations of his own. This wasn't his first time around the block, after all. If that little hick wanted to try and fight with him, he was going to make sure the kid regretted it in a hurry.

Right after he'd died, Nick had come to terms very quickly with the fact that there was, in fact, a fiery pit of Hell that housed the souls of the unrepentant damned. And he was one of them. Rather than go toward the light, as he had heard all his life, Nick avoided it determinedly and clung to the place of his death. Revenge had driven him, gave him the strength to attain this half-life he had fought for and was now currently stuck with. Even if he wanted to consign himself to the fires of Hades, he didn't know how to get back to it anymore.

Instead of moping about it, Nick decided to make the best of it. Any time anyone tried to come anywhere near what he now considered to be _his_ house, he made sure to scare them off again. The first had, for obvious reasons, been his double-crossing partner Raymond. Guilt had played a helping hand in that, ultimately resulting in the other's death in a desperate attempt at escape from the vengeful specter. Watching his filthy soul get sucked into the bowels of hell had made the darkest parts of his heart feel all warm and fuzzy.

It hadn't taken more than five or six instances of hauntings before people stopped trying to buy the house, and the realtors stopped trying to sell it. Nick had won.

With his success, however, had also come an intolerable boredom. With no one around to harass, Nick found himself drifting aimlessly through the rooms of his domain, toying with the barriers between himself and reality. As time passed, it grew harder and harder to manipulate even the most simple of devices. Where once he could have lifted the sofa and heaved it across the room with a thought, now he could barely exert the energy necessary to make the lights flicker.

As much as he hated this new presence in his home, Nick couldn't help but feel the old anticipation building within him. He drifted through a door and into the kitchen, casting a thoughtful look around the room. With Ellis still gone – God only knew where – Nick felt free to roam the house and see what the little twerp had been up to while he'd been sleeping. There were boxes all over the fucking place, cluttering up his otherwise neat – if not dusty – abode.

As early afternoon eased slowly into evening, Nick was growing rather impatient. If they were supposed to be battling for ownership of the house, the hick was going to have to actually be there to battle with. He kicked at a box as he passed by it and made it shudder a little bit. Brows furrowing, he scowled and turned to face it, kicking out at it again. Frustration bloomed when there was once again little effect, and this time when he kicked out at it the box skidded a foot across the room, and the light bulb overhead blew out. He snorted out an unnecessary breath. It was so fucking annoying having to channel emotions to be able to accomplish _anything_ corporeal.

Outside, Ellis stopped for a moment on the porch, his breath hitching slightly in his throat at the sounds coming from within. He swallowed and reached for the door, trying to quell the shaking in his hand as he pushed the wooden barrier open and stepped inside through the portal, tracking the sounds to the kitchen. He spotted the ghost from the night before standing in the middle of the room, glaring viciously at one of his boxes where it now sat on the other side of the room. Looking at him now, fully-formed and in the light of day, he wasn't quite so scary anymore.

Satisfied with his brief tantrum's results for the time being, Nick turned away and spotted Ellis standing in the doorway, clearly having missed the sound of his clunky old truck returning during his little fit. Immediately he phased into a mist and drifted up toward the ceiling vent, intent on returning to the attic. Now that Ellis was home, he could officially begin to torment him as he so deserved for disturbing his slumber.

But before he could, Ellis pulled out his newly-acquired spray bottle and aimed it right at the fleeing mist, releasing a spray that significantly speeded the spirit's progress from the room. "What the fuck?" he demanded, the voice pained as it came floating down from the vent.

"Holy water," said Ellis with a grin, giving the bottle a little shake. The sight of the powerful ghost from the night before fleeing from his attack only boosted his confidence and determination further. He was here to stay.

"Fucking hell!"

Ellis laughed as Nick made his escape, leaving him alone once more. He decided to make use of the time to make the rest of his preparations. He had a feeling that by the time Nick recovered and came after him, the specter wasn't going to be holding back. But he intended to be more than ready for him.

It got ugly fast.

Not all of his attempts to subdue his angry ghost worked, and Ellis paid the price for it, but he always managed to get his own back. He figured out very quickly that crosses didn't work. Neither did the candles, even though he'd had them blessed at the church in town. The priest had been willing to help him after he had explained his situation to him, which was also how he had managed to get his spray bottle filled with holy water. He had even said a blessing for him. The salt helped, but it wasn't quite as powerful as he had hoped it would be. Rather than creating an impenetrable barrier, it just slowed Nick down. He would take what he could get, though.

After a few days, Ellis figured out that his best defense was his holy water, which unfortunately was also the one resource that would be the most difficult to replenish. He doubted the old priest would be willing to keep filling him up every time he came into town.

Regardless, whenever the deceased male made the mistake of actually materializing around him, Ellis made sure he got a full shot of it in the face that would drive him back into hiding, cursing a blue streak all the while. Nick more than made up for it at every opportunity, though, keeping the hick up in the night and tormenting him from afar in the day with the relentless noises, tremors, and whispers of things unseen. Sometimes he even hid things, like his car keys and his wallet. Shadows flitted about in his peripheral vision, forcing him to constantly check over his shoulder to see if he was actually being followed. The faulty hot water which he knew was due to Nick rather than the old house was starting to actually piss him off. But he had to admit, it could be worse.

And then one day, things seemed to reach a breaking point.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Ellis whipped around and spotted his poltergeist standing just behind him, looking extremely annoyed. Ellis' hand immediately shot to his hip where his spray bottle – now half-empty – hung at his belt, and Nick immediately vanished. "Hold off on the squirt gun there, fireball! I come in peace, or whatever fucking cliché you'd like to hear."

Suspiciously, Ellis lowered the bottle but kept his hand on it, finger locked carefully around the plastic trigger. "What do you want?"

"Firstly, for you to stop spraying that fucking stuff at me. It burns like hell. Trust me, I'd know." Nick reappeared cautiously, watching for any sudden movements toward the bottle. "And secondly, I repeat: what the hell is the matter with you?"

Ellis wrinkled his nose. "What do ya mean?"

Nick scowled. "Why the hell can't you just move somewhere else? There are a lot of nice places you can go around here. Why are you so damn determined to stay here?"

Ellis tucked his hands into the pockets of his coveralls and rocked back on his heels. "Because I bought this place an' that makes it mine. I like it here an' I don' wanna go anywhere."

Nick kicked at the door frame, scowling when his foot went right through it. The light overhead flickered briefly, causing Ellis to duck his head and glance at it and then him warily, fingers twitching as he considered reaching for his spray bottle once more. "Well, I'm not going anywhere either. Wait. Allow me to rephrase that: I _can't_ go anywhere."

Ellis frowned at the ghost's bitter tone. "Ain't you supposed t'be searchin' for a way into 'the light' or somethin'?"

Nick shook his head. "Trust me, there's nothing worth searching for there, even if I knew where to start looking. I'd much rather stay here and just take it easy for the rest of eternity. No hellfire and damnation for me, thanks all the same."

"So… what're we gonna do?" Ellis asked him seriously, tugging off his cap to scratch his head, clearly puzzled. "We gonna jus' keep fightin' like this all the time? I gotta tell ya, it's getting' old, man."

Nick rolled his eyes, narrowing them into a glare. "Right, says the one who's only been losing a little sleep and enjoying a cold shower or two. Do you know how long it fucking takes for that shit you've been spraying me with to stop burning? How about I hold a hot poker to your face for a while and we'll see how you like it."

Ellis held up his hands. "All right, all right, m'sorry. But I had t'do somethin' t'defend myself against ya, you know."

Nick sighed and ran his hand over his hair. "This would be a lot fucking easier if you would just move out, kiddo." Ellis crossed his arms, brows furrowed stubbornly, and Nick grumbled a curse. "Who needs the easy way? Not me. An eternity of peace and quiet, that's all I'm asking for. Whatever. Instead I'll just take on a fucking roommate."

Ellis shook his head and dropped his arms. "C'mon, Nick. It's not gonna be so bad as all that, just you wait an' see!" He offered the transparent man a grin. "Hell, you've spent so much time bein' scary an' all, maybe you'll actually like havin' me around for a change!"

Nick stared at him for a long moment, his expression strained, and then dropped his face into his palms and faded out of sight. "If I wasn't already dead I might just kill myself…"

_(This is just part one. ^^ I hope everyone enjoys! Read and review! :D)_


End file.
